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Post by Willie on Sept 3, 2012 20:22:44 GMT -5
I won't say how many games that we'll win at this point ... too many unknowns. But we were just 4-19 against teams with an RPI better than 247 last year. Throw in Kenyon College, then we were a mere 5-19. Based upon that, I don't believe that this team will win half of their games. The good news is we play 13 games for sure (BracketBusters TBA) vs teams that were lower rated than we were last year. Mount St Joes Miami OH 247 Hofstra 254 VMI 260 Utah 274 Central Michigan 277 North Carolina A&T 282 Eastern Illinois 286 Idaho St 289 UIC 299 x 2 Loyola 310 x2
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2012 20:28:40 GMT -5
The good news is we play 13 games for sure (BracketBusters TBA) vs teams that were lower rated than we were last year. Mount St Joes Miami OH 247 Hofstra 254 VMI 260 Utah 274 Central Michigan 277 North Carolina A&T 282 Eastern Illinois 286 Idaho St 289 UIC 299 x 2 Loyola 310 x2 That's hard to do (scheduling that many), but it looks like we did it! (ha ha)
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Post by Jazzfan on Sept 3, 2012 20:31:44 GMT -5
Reasons to be optimistic: --Weaker schedule --More athletic team --We are going to be playing a more uptempo offense --The HL seems wide open this year --Everyone is currently healthy --Being on semesters now we might get more students to come to games
Reasons to be concerned: --We have a lot of new faces on our roster --We are running a new system and will have some growing pains --We have a history of players getting injured --Playing a weaker schedule may end up hurting our walk up attendance
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Post by gerb on Sept 3, 2012 22:20:57 GMT -5
I know many are upset at the quality of our opponents this year and I can certainly see their reasoning. For THIS YEAR, however, I think this is a good schedule. If we had put up a schedule this weak at any point during the Duggins era it would have been disappointing because we had the experience to compete on a higher level. Last year's non-conference schedule was just stupid considering what we had in terms of on-court experience. Donlon's eyes got too big for his stomach and as a result we suffered. I'm very excited about this year's roster, but it's going to take a while to gel. By playing weaker opponents to start out the season we can build confidence instead of getting blown out by OSU and Cincinnati. By the time we got into the conference schedule (excluding the two early games against YSU and CSU) we were 4-7 and lost our exhibition game. Not great for attendance. With such a new roster and a new system (stocked with great athletes. I'm looking forward to Reggie and Jerran running a fast break together) we'll need to rack up wins early for confidence and fan interest. If John Q. Random Fan sees we have an 11-2 record going into December it will matter less that those games were against cupcakes than the fact the DDN is writing about wins. I believe Donlon is a good coach but was too ambitious with last year's schedule considering the roster changes and our record was worse than it would have been with the previous year's slate. This is what we have to do for the moment to build momentum into tougher schedules next year and beyond. This season is a short-term sacrifice for a long-term gain. 19 wins.
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Post by Sixth Man on Sept 4, 2012 6:01:55 GMT -5
This is what we have to do for the moment to build momentum into tougher schedules next year and beyond. This season is a short-term sacrifice for a long-term gain. 19 wins. the problem with that argument is that most of these cupcakes are new contracts, so we will be playing them next year too. Next year we have UMKC (from last year's BB), Bowling Green, Eastern Illinois, North Carolina A&T, Morehead St, and VMI. Donlon should have scheduled weak last year so that we would have had those return games this year. Now we not only have to play a crappy schedule this year, we have mostly the same crappy schedule to look forward to next year too.
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Post by wolf41 on Sept 4, 2012 14:02:10 GMT -5
I'm predicting 13 wins this season and hoping that it will be better than that. As Klinger there are so many unknowns at this point. First there are all the new faces we have yet to see play. Second, there is always the unknown of how the the HL teams have fared in their recruiting this past year. Third, is the uncertainty about our health once the season begins. And fourth will be how this team develops between now and the first game.
The team sounds like there is a boatload of talent, but we haven't seen anything yet. The schedule is definitely weak, maybe the weakest since Ralph's early schedules in D-I play. So I am anxious to see these guys on the court. Will there be an exhibition game this season? The schedule is mute on that.
I assume we are playing MSJ because Cedarville or Findlay would have been too big of a risk.
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Post by Black PantherU on Sept 5, 2012 1:35:21 GMT -5
I'm okay with a weak schedule as long as its not an RPI torpedo. Beating ho-hum teams on the schedule should help you guys avoid becoming what YSU was to the league for so long.
Side note: cheapest tix are 160?! Holy crap! In Milwaukee we've got a 2 for 99 deal. I guess the lack of sports entertainment in the city drives up prices.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using proboards
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Post by Tipp City Raider on Sept 7, 2012 19:20:23 GMT -5
I don't know if I can take another cluster of a season like we had last year.
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Post by Nutt House on Sept 9, 2012 8:05:16 GMT -5
I don't know if I can take another cluster of a season like we had last year. +1
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Post by Ukraine Train on Sept 11, 2012 18:42:01 GMT -5
Lindy's Sports 2012-13 College Basketball Preview Magazine hit stores today.
Lindy's Horizon League predictions 1. Detroit 2. Valpo 3. Green Bay 4. Milwaukee 5. Cleveland State 6. Wright State 7. YSU 8. UIC 9. Loyola
First team Ray McCallum, Detroit (Player of the Year) Kendrick Perry, YSU Ryan Broekhoff, Valpo Kevin Van Wijk, Valpo Alec Brown, Green Bay
Second team Keifer Sykes, Green Bay Reggie Arceneaux, Wright State Anton Grady, Cleveland State Ben Averkamp, Loyola James Haarsma, Milwaukee
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Post by wolf41 on Sept 21, 2012 14:41:50 GMT -5
Athlon magazine has picked Valpo to win the HL followed by UDM, GB, CSU, Mil., YSU, WSU, UIC, and Loyola.
Lindy's has picked UDM to win the HL followed by Valpo, GB, Mil., CSU, WSU, YSU, UIC, and Loyola.
They have also picked WSU's Reggie Arceneaux as second team all HL. Both mags have Ray McCallum as the Player of the Year.
So the mags are consistent as far as GB being 3rd and UIC and Loyola finishing 7th and 8th.
I think it will be very competative. I just hope this young team develops quickly by the time we start the HL games. I think Young and Dixon may help with that as they join AJ, Matt, and Cole in the junior class.
Practice begins in about 3 weeks and the CSU pre-season game is in early November.
Go Raiders!
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Post by Indy Raider on Oct 23, 2012 17:56:53 GMT -5
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Post by Indy Raider on Oct 23, 2012 17:58:31 GMT -5
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Post by Indy Raider on Oct 26, 2012 18:04:01 GMT -5
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Post by CincyDrummer on Oct 26, 2012 19:03:15 GMT -5
Man oh man, it's hard not to get down after reading all of these previews and whatnot. Still planning on driving up for the exhibition.
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